Mon Feb 07 2022

Unfortunately, one of our illustrious members, Bob Frith, passed away last year. David Barrington has written this fitting obituary.

Bob Frith: 16.6.1944 to 11.4.2021

Polytechnic Harriers/Kingston AC & Polytechnic Harriers are very much saddened to have to advise of the death, on April 11 th 2021 of former Great Britain international sprinter and World 50m indoor record-holder Bob Frith at the age of 76.

Robert Montague Frith was born in Whitton (Middlesex) in June 1944 and attended Chiswick
Grammar School, joining “The Poly” whose home track was situated in Hartington Road, London W4, which was adjacent to his school, along with fellow sprinter Andrew Ronay. Thanks in particular to Sportsmaster, John Troake, Chiswick Grammar School was a hotbed for track and field talent.

Bob’s first taste of national track success came when he and his Middlesex County Schools’
colleagues were victorious at the English Schools Senior Boys 4x 110y Relay twice. Significantly, team members Bob, Andy, Mick Hauck (TVH/Poly) and Barry King (Hillingdon) subsequently represented Great Britain at Senior level.

Bob’s forte was undoubtedly his explosiveness out of the blocks and he soon discovered that
prowess suited him, particularly over 50m/60m/60y. He won 4 AAA indoor titles. In 1965 (ahead of Barrie Kelly and the ubiquitous Nick Overhead) he won the 60y and won again in 1967. Both were won in a time of 6.3. He then won twice over the metric equivalent in 1968 and1969.He had already collected 2 ESAA 100y titles as well as a win over 100y at the AAAs Junior Championships (at the latter he was joined by his long-term colleague, Andy Ronay, who annexed the 220y). He was also timed at 6.2s twice, though these marks seem to have been rejected for technicalities.
However, 6.3s were regular occurrences. In a regular Athletics Weekly feature, in 1964, “Who’s Who in British Athletics” Bob reckoned his most pleasurable performances were beating French star, Claude Piquemal and being the co-holder of the World Best for 50m indoors as well as setting a UK best over 60y. Bob also had some titanic battles in the European Games (later Championships) taking the 50m silver medal in 1968 in Madrid and the bronze medal in 1969 in Belgrade, clocking 5.8s in both cases. The latter match report states- “Bob’s good starts, despite the “very fast” gun, proved decisive against some of Europe’s top s[printers”. Whilst finding 100m fractionally “over-distance”, even for his exceptional talent, he still made several appearances in GB outdoor fixtures, and in England colours at the 1966 Commonwealth Games in Kingston, Jamaica over the longer event, as well as being part of sprint relay teams. His best times over 100 were 9.7s (100y) and 10.5s (100m).

Domestically, RMF was a major force for his beloved Poly Harriers, contributing to numerous AAAs relay titles and remaining fully active throughout the first seven years of the National League (aka later the BAL, now NAL), until retirement in 1976.

Off the track, he was a resolute a Polyphite and a supporter of Athletics in general as one could
imagine; along with the aforementioned Andy Ronay, Bob was instrumental in the organisation
behind the enormously successful 1969 Sward Trophy Meeting at Crystal Palace to which a plethora of UK and overseas stars were invited for the special Invitation events, not least the World Record Holder Ron Clarke of Australia who then became an Honorary Life Member as a result. Not to be ignored from that meeting was the substantial boost to the Club’s then somewhat meagre funds.

Bob was always what might now be termed as “an influencer” across the sport and was indeed a contributor to the formation of Twickenham AC (now St Mary’s Richmond).

From 1972 to 1975, Bob (already a VP and LM) added another string to his bow taking on the Club’s General Secretaryship, thus steadying a slightly rocking boat. Later on in his life , this electric sprinter over 50 metres successfully completed 3 marathons, including London and New York, in aid of charities.

Bob’s extensive interests outside Athletics centres on his optical and ophthalmology businesses. He moved, with his late wife Christine, from the family’s original premises in Twickenham to set up a group of outlets in the West Country and. At the same time, created an award-winning vineyard in South Africa. In all these enterprises he excelled, particularly in relation to adopting new techniques in both optics and wine production, and as a further significant contribution to the future, Bob donated his corneas to the medical profession, an area which is still very much undersubscribed in the UK.

Bob’s interest and support of his Athletics Club and the sport never waned and he maintained a
close eye on how the Poly Club developed, not least following the merger in 1985 which saw the
Harriers become a mixed club, much in line with direction in which Athletics is travelling.

Bob is survived by his three children Zara, Abigail and Adam and their families and their friends are all in our thoughts at this saddest of times.